Natural stimulation of group I activated cells in the cerebral cortex of the awake cat

The influence of interfering input from the peroneal nerve on tibial-nerve somatosensory evoked potential

Using a conditioning-test paradigm, we studied the recovery function of tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) conditioned by preceding peroneal nerve stimulation. The inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs) ranged from 0 to 400 msec, where 0 msec indicated simultaneous arrival of tibial and peroneal nerve volleys at the L1 spine. The recovery curve was W-shaped, showing two peaks of SEP suppression, maximum at 6 msec ISI (1st phase) and 50-75 ISI msec (2nd phase). In the 1st phase suppression, we found distinct differences in wave forms between 0-2 msec ISI and 4-6 msec ISI. At 0-2 msec ISI, P40-N50-P60 amplitude decreased and latencies shortened, while P31 and N35 were unchanged. At 4-6 msec ISI, all peaks, possibly excluding P31, were markedly depressed. We attribute the former change to an "occlusive effect" and the latter to an "inhibitory effect," each mediated via a central synaptic network between the two nerves. The attenuation of the 2nd but not the 1st phase suppression by peroneal nerve block distal to the stimulating electrodes provided evidence that the 2nd phase suppression resulted primarily from interfering afferent signals generated by peroneal nerve peripheral receptors, activated by foot movement.

The pathway from Ia forelimb afferents to the motor cortex: a new hypothesis

Forelimb target-reaching and food-taking in cats depend on different interneuronal circuitry in the spinal cord. On the basis of previous findings regarding the effect of transection of the corticospinal tract in the spinal cord, of high dorsal column (DC) transection, of low pyramidotomy and of pyramidotomy after previous DC transection, it is proposed that the food-taking movement is temporally linked to target-reaching as follows: During target-reaching, the position of the paw is signalled by the pathway from forelimb proprioceptors (mainly Ia) to the motor cortex with a relay in the main cuneate nucleus. The command for food-taking is issued by the motor cortex only when the pathway from the forelimb signals that the paw approaches the target correctly, as may be determined by a comparison of the information from the forelimb with an efference copy of the motor program for target-reaching. The hypothesis is based on previous results regarding the organization of the pathway from the forelimb to area 3a and the motor cortex, and regarding the cortico-cuneate pathway with selective projection from area 3a and motor cortex to the basal caudal part of the cuneate nucleus, where the proprioceptive information from the forelimb is relayed. Results relevant to the present hypothesis regarding responses of precentral neurones during active and passive movements in awake animals are briefly discussed.

Raccoon forelimb motorsensory cortex: II. Somatosensory inputs to single neurons

Somatosensory input to 431 neurons in MsI has been studied in unanesthetized, paralyzed raccoons (Procyon lotor). The type of sensory input to neurons in lateral sigmoid gyrus (cytoarchitectonic area 4) and in posterior sigmoid gyrus (areas 4 and 3a) was not significantly different. Of these neurons, 36% were activated by superficial cutaneous stimulation (touch, tap or hair deflection) and 26% by deep stimulation (pressure or joint movement). Mute neurons (not driven by any form of peripheral stimulation tested, or vaguely driven) comprised 38% of the sample. Only 4% of anterior sigmoid gyrus (area 6) neurons responded to superficial or deep stimulation; 96% were mute. The majority of MsI neurons had small (less than or equal to 20 cm2) peripheral receptive fields (PRFs). There was a statistically significant trend for PRF size to decrease along the proximal-distal axis of the forelimb. The area of MsI digit PRFs was significantly larger than the area of SmI digit PRFs. Comparing the data for raccoon MsI with information from the literature for cats and monkeys suggests that the type and amount of somesthetic afferent input to forelimb MsI is related to the behavioral uses to which each animal puts the forelimb.

Raccoon forelimb motorsensory cortex: I. Somatic afferent inputs to different cytoarchitectonic areas

The distribution of potentials evoked in and around forelimb MsI by graded electrical stimulation of forelimb nerves has been studied in the raccoon (Procyon lotor). These data have been correlated with cytoarchitectonic characteristics of pericruciate cortical tissue. Potentials evoked by cutaneous nerve stimulation were widely distributed in MsI and SmI, but were smaller in amplitude and of longer latency in MsI than in SmI. Stimulation of ulnar, median or deep radial nerve at 1-1.4T, a strength considered to activate only Group I muscle afferent fibers, caused evoked potentials in a localized region mostly confined to posterior sigmoid gyrus. On the basis of cytoarchitectonic features it is concluded that: a) Anterior sigmoid gyrus, to near the level of the tip of the cruciate sulcus, is area 6 cortex; b) The lateral portion of the posterior sigmoid gyrus, cortex comprising the caudal bank of the cruciate sulcus and cortex surrounding the lateral tip of the cruciate sulcus is area 4 cortex; c) The middle portion of the posterior sigmoid gyrus, almost to the lip of the cruciate sulcus rostrally and extending onto the rostral bank of the ascending coronal and postcruciate sulci caudally, is area 3a cortex. The cortical focus for Group I afferent-evoked potentials coincides with area 3a cortex. It is concluded that forelimb MsI of raccoon is organized in a fashion similar to MsI of cats and monkeys.

The responses of pericruciate cortical neurones to distal forepaw electrical stimulation in the unanaesthetized, unrestrained cat

Experiments were performed to examine the responses of cortical neurons in the pericruciate cortex to cutaneous afferent input from the distal forepaw. Ninety-nine cortical neurons responding to electrical stimulation of the forepaw were recorded from four cats. Their response latencies ranged from 6 to 23 ms. The units had cutaneous receptive fields which ranged in size from those restricted to one digit to those extending over the whole forelimb. They were recorded from area 4 and area 3. Intracortical microstimulation at the recording sites activated either the distal or proximal musculature of the forelimb. When the characteristics obtained from each recording site were examined as a group of features, a uniform population emerged which was significantly different from the rest of the sample. These units had the shortest latency responses to distal forepaw electrical stimulation, the shortest duration of evoked discharge, the smallest distal cutaneous receptive fields. Such units were recorded at the border between areas 3 and 4, at sites which on microstimulation resulted in movements of the distal forepaw musculature.

Convergence of sensory inputs upon projection neurons of somatosensory cortex: vestibular, neck, head, and forelimb inputs

Cortico-cortical neurons and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons of the cat cerebral cortex were tested for convergent inputs from electrically stimulated vestibular, neck, head and forelimb nerves. Neurons were recorded within forelimb and vestibular projection regions of cortical area 3a. Consideration was given to both suprathreshold and subthreshold inputs. Neither vestibular, neck nor head inputs were detected in the forelimb region of area 3a. In contrast, within the vestibular projection region of area 3a, 43% (6/14) of the cortico-cortical neurons and 63% (24/38) of the PT neurons received excitatory vestibular input. Inputs from the skin of the pinna (greater auricular nerve) were detected only for PT neurons (66%, 25/38). No inputs were detected from afferent nerves supplying the dorsal neck muscles biventer cervicis and complexus. Cortico-cortical and PT neurons receiving vestibular input also received convergent inputs originating from forelimb group I deep and low threshold cutaneous afferent fibers. Further, one half of the PT neurons with vestibular input (12/24) received input from three somatic sources: forelimb group I deep, forelimb low threshold cutaneous and greater auricular (head) nerves. The input connectivities suggest a role for these projection neurons of somatosensory cortex in the coordination of head and forelimb movements. The convergence of vestibular information with somatic input from the forelimb implies that vestibular-influenced neurons of area 3a projecting to the motor cortex or through the pyramidal tract would signal head position or movement with respect to proprioceptive feedback from the limbs.

Modulation of proprioceptive transcortical reflexes in the cat with a penicillin epileptic motor focus

Mechanisms responsible for the triggering of paroxysmal events by proprioceptive afferents, previously described in the monkey with a chronic epileptic focus, were studied in more detail in the cat with a penicillin focus. To analyse the topical organization of this reflex triggering, the focus was restricted to very small areas of the motor cortex; in this study only pericruciate areas were considered in which stimulation elicited a motor response in one of the several forelimb muscles tested, and which received afferents from that muscle. When the focus was located in the post-sigmoid gyrus, stimulation (usually by stretch) of the given (target) muscle first elicited a cortical spike following the evoked response, and secondly a late phasic EMG response (about 40 msec latency) quite distinct from purely spinal reflexes. Cortical spikes and late EMG responses were closely correlated, especially considering their probability of occurrence or their parallel latency fluctuations. In most cases, this effect was limited to the muscle whose motor area had been treated with penicillin: stretching muscles in the vicinity was ineffective, nor were these muscles activated when the target muscle was stimulated. Evidence is given for the participation of a transcortical reflex in the generation of the late phasic response and for the involvement of the pyramidal tract in this reflex.

Peripheral input pathways projecting to the motor cortex in the cat

The possibility that the motor cortex receives peripheral input directly from the thalamus was examined using the evoked potential method and the following results were obtained. Potentials in the motor cortex evoked by stimulation of superficial radial (SR) or group II deep radial (DR) nerve were neither abolished nor delayed by ablation of the sensory cortex. Potentials in the motor cortex evoked by stimulation of group II DR nerve were most severely reduced by interruption of the spinocervcial tract. Potentials evoked by stimulation of SR nerve were more severely reduced in the sensory cortex than in the motor cortex by section of the dorsal funiculus or cooling of the cuneate nucleus. The size of evoked potentials in the motor cortex increased rapidly when stimulus intensity to DR nerve exceeded the threshold to group II fibers. The results suggest that some inputs from the SR and group II DR nerves reach the motor cortex without a relay through the sensory cortex.